Great Lent - Abiy Tsom - ዐብይ ጾም Sixth Sunday - Gebr Her - ገብርኄር

The Parable of the Good Servant

The Sixth Sunday of the Great Fast (Abiy Tsom) is called Gebr Her which means “Good Servant” in Geez. On this day we remember the parable of the good servant Our Lord Eyesus Kristos taught to illustrate his message.

Matthew 25:14-30

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise, he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him, that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”

The Good Servant parable highlights how our faithfulness and hard work will be rewarded. God gives to everyone talents and potentials. We are responsible to use these free gifts for God’s purposes. The Day of the Lord is coming soon and we will approach Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos one by one and will have to answer for how well we used the gifts we received. The third servant who received one gift and buried it was judged and condemned because he did nothing with what he was given.

Are we using our talents and potentials as Our Lord told us?

Matthew 25:14-30

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Meskel: The Finding of the True Cross [Megabit 10 / March 19 th]

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church commemorates the finding of the True Cross by Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, in the 4th century. Queen Helena made a trip to Jerusalem to find the Holy Cross of the Lord Eyesus Kristos. It was a challenge because she could find no trace of the place and no one knew the exact location.

A wise old man named Kiriakos advised the queen saying, “gather wood and pile it up and put incense on it and burn it while praying. The smoke of the fire will show you where to dig and you will find the Holy Cross.” On Meskerem 16 / September 26, she followed the instructions she was told; the incense smoke rose upward and bowed down indicating the location where the Holy Cross was buried. Queen Helena ordered her soldiers to start digging on that same day. After seven months On Megabit 10/ March 19 the Cross was found. This date occurs during the Great Lenten Fast, because of this this holiday is celebrated to the fullest later on September 17.

St. Yared has praised this event with the verses, “The Wooden Cross which was buried at Golgotha by the Jews is found today” and he also sung "The Meskel/Cross has illuminated and decorated the sky with stars and showed everything like the sun!”

1 Corinthians 1:18

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

May Medhanealem Grant us to See The Light of His Resurrection in Peace Amen!

Metsagu [መጻጉዕ] - The Paralytic

In The Name of The Father, The Son And The Holy Spirit, one God Amen

The fourth Sunday of the Great fast (Abiy Tsom) is called “Metsagu”, which is a Ge’ez word meaning Infirmity or Paralytic. “Metsagu” named after the song of Saint Yared, for the day from the hymnbook known as “Tsome Digua” (Hymn of Fast). On this date, we remember all the lepers, deaf, blind and sick people healed by Eyesus Kristos. Especially, the man who had been infirm for 38 years, healed at the pool of Bathesda.

John 5:1-15

“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, ‘having five porches.’ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews, therefore, said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well."

This man was paralyzed for 38 years and suffered from loneliness; as evidenced by his response that, “I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up by the Angel.” Eyesus Kristos ended this man’s sorrow but warned him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” This person’s sickness was caused by his sin; and Our Lord Eyesus Kristos knows what this person is and what evil he is capable of doing. Sadly, on the Holy Thursday when the high priests seized Eyesus Kristos, this man was standing with them and slapped Our Lord Eyesus Kristos, let glory be to his compassion!

John 18:23

And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike me?”

The fourth week of the Great lent also teaches us that Eyesus Kristos came to this world not only to teach concerning the kingdom of God, but also to heal physical sickness, as well as those possessed with spiritual diseases. Our Lord Eyesus Kristos reveals to us that His mercy and forgiveness are available to all of us through His question “Do you want to be made well?” For those of us who answer yes His divine healing power is available through faith and the sacrament of Penance.

Saint Baselios “Save me from the wounds of my sin by the wounds you have put on the cross”

Psalms 41:1-3

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.”

NOTE: According Ethiopian Orthodox Church Archangel Rufa’el is the angel responsible for administering to the wounds of man; he watches over the sick. His name means "God Is the Healer" and he used to come down and stir the waters of Bathesda.

The departure of Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus (አቡነ ገብረ መንፈስ ቅዱስ ) from this world [Megabit 5 /March 14]

Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus is called the “Star of the desert”

• Born on January 7 / Tahisas 29 – his date of birth and conception coincide with the day of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos

• He lived 300 years in desert of Egypt

• He went from Egypt to Ethiopia by the order of God

• He stayed at Ziquala / ዝቋላ Lake for 100 years praying for Ethiopia and received a covenant from God

• He brought dead lions back to life

• He met King Lalibela and promised him that he would live in mount Ziquala and not leave Ethiopia

• He lived for 562 years on earth and departed from this world on the mount of Ziquala on Megabit 5 /March 14; his body rests in “Medre Kebed / ምድረ ከብድ”

May the prayer of Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus be upon us!

February 23, 1888, Saint Giorgis (George)-The Battle of Adwa

ሊቀ ሰማዕት ቅዱስ ጊዮርጊስ - የአድዋ ጦርነት

Saint Giorgis (George)-The Battle of Adwa On February 23, 1888, a major battle took place in Adwa between the Ethiopian army, headed by King Menelik II and Italian invaders. Throughout the war of Adwa the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church played a key role from beginning to end. The Ethiopian soldiers took the Saint Giorgis Tabot with them and God granted them to victory on the field of battle. Both Ethiopian and Italian forces witnessed “...a brave fighter horse standing and stomping to the right and left of the field.” In fact, a few days before the Adwa Victory, the treasurer of Dima at the St. Giorgis Gedam, was praying in front of the Holy Tabot and had a vision. In the vision, St. Giorgis appeared to him, seated on a white horse and told him, “I have to go now, King Menelik is waiting for me to help him with his war.”

God of Our Fathers, give us this day victories over evil spirits, sickness, hate, poverty, selfishness and sin.

Thy Word we have read, let God allow us to treasure it in our hearts and grant us to see the light of his resurrection in peace, Amen! የአነበብነውን ቃል በልቦናችን ያሳድርልን አሜን!

Great Lent - Abiy Tsom - ዐብይ ጾም First Sunday - Zewerede - ዘወረደ

Great Lent (Abiy Tsom) - ዐብይ ጾም

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church commemorates the Great Fast (Abiy Tsom) – Hudadi means Vast Land and which relates to the Greatness of the Lent Fast. This follows the example of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos.

The Lent or Great Fast (Abiy Tsom) has eight weeks, which are divided into three separate periods:

1. 'Tsome Hirkal (Eraclius)' is the fast of Emperor Eraclius. During his reign the Persians invaded Jerusalem and took the Holy Cross of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos. Emperor Eraclius made an expedition to Persia and having defeated the Persians, he took the Holy Cross back to Jerusalem. The early Christians in Jerusalem were very happy because of Eraclius’ victory and the return of the Holy Cross. The first week of lent was dedicated to Eraclius and therefore was included in the Jerusalem church canon. Thus the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has accepted and included it in her canon to be a part of Great Lent.

2. Tsome Arba, is the forty days which Our Lord Eyesus Kristos fasted while in the wildness.

Luke 4:1-2 “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.”

3. Himamat (Passion Week) are the seven days the Holy Apostles fasted in commemoration of the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos.

8+40+7 = 55 Days in total of the Lenten Fasting Period.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church hymn writer St. Yared, wrote the hymnbook known as “Tsome Digua” (Hymns of Fasting). In this Holy book he composed songs for each Sunday of the Great Fast.

Each Sunday of the Great Fast is named after a hymn that St. Yared wrote:

1. Zewerede - ዘወረደ : The one who descended from above

2. Kidist - ቅድስት : Holy

3. Mikurab - ምኩራብ : Synagogue

4. Mesague - መፃጉእ : One who is infirm/paralytic

5. Debre Zeit - ደብረዘይት : Mount of Olives

6. Gebrehere - ገብርሄር : Good Servant

7. Nicodemus - ኒቆዲሞስ : The coming of Nicodemus to Our Lord during the night

8. Hosanna - ሆሳእና : Palm Sunday

May Medhanealem Grant us to See The Light of His Resurrection in Peace Amen!